Unitary beverage insulating jacket with contouring for placement in a vehicle&#39;s cup holder or the like

ABSTRACT

A beverage insulating jacket comprising a top insulating receptacle having a bore dimensioned to receive a beverage container or can. The jacket further includes a lower portion unitarily and integrally formed with the top insulating receptacle having a perimeter circumference dimensioned for direct insertion into a beverage holding receptacle of a vehicle, a chair, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to insulating beverage holders and,more particularly, to a unitary beverage insulating jacket having alower end contoured for placement in a vehicle's cup holder.

[0003] 2. General Background

[0004] Beverage insulating jackets or “Huggies“ are popular for keepingcold canned beverages colder longer. The beverage insulating jackets aremade of a soft or resilient foamed rubber or foamed plastic which islightweight and inexpensive. Since these beverage insulating jacketsfully encircle the beverage can, the perimeter circumference is muchgreater than the perimeter circumference of the can itself. For example,some insulating jackets have a diameter which is 3½ to 4 inches and a12-ounce can may have a diameter of 2½ to 2¾ inches.

[0005] While cup holders or receptacles installed in vehiclesaccommodate a variety of can or cup sizes these cup holders orreceptacles typically have an interior perimeter circumference which issmaller than the perimeter circumference of the beverage insulatingjackets.

[0006] Several devices have been patented which are directed to beverageholder adaptors.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,538 issued to W. M. Ward, entitled “BOTTOMCLOSURE WITH AUTOMOBILE DRINK-HOLDER ADAPTOR FOR A SLEEVE-TYPE BEVERAGEINSULATOR,” discloses a sleeve-type tubular beverage insulator andholder in combination with a disk-shaped bottom closure and an adaptor.The adaptor has a hollow frustum with a circular open top and a basewhich is slightly smaller than the diameter of an automobile drinkholder.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,649 issued to C. D. Hunnicutt, entitled“DRINK HOLDER ADAPTER,” discloses a beverage holder adapter forplacement into a beverage receptacle, such as in a chair's arm, and forreceiving a beverage container, such as a can, held within a tubularinsulating beverage holder. The adapter is made of a low densitypolyethylene and has cylindrical upper and lower portions which includedeformable rib members. Such lower portion is sized to fit in thereceptacle.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,504 issued to J. A. Miller, entitled “VESSELHOLDING ADAPTER,” discloses a beverage holder adapter for retaining abeverage container, which is in an insulated holder, in a receptacle.The receptacle is one which is commonly found in golf carts andautomobiles, of which the holding cavity is of a different size than thecontainer. The adapter has sets of opposed vertical arms between whichthe holder holding the container can be placed. The adapter furtherincludes transversely arranged lower portions sized for placement intothe cavity of the receptacle.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,565 issued to Ericsson, Inc., on theapplication of I. N. Wakefield, entitled “COMBINATION CUP AND CELLULARPHONE HOLDER,” discloses a combination beverage and cellular phoneholder which is adapted for insertion into an existing vehicle beverageholder. The beverage and cellular phone holder includes a beverageholder and a phone holder and an integral bridging member which issecures the phone holder from a sidewall of the beverage holder. Thebeverage holder has sidewalls which are generally tapered to fit in thevehicles' beverage holder.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,673 issued to C. Chandler, entitled “CUPADAPTER FOR USE IN CYLINDRICAL SOCKETS”; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,340issued to W. Ruhnau, entitled “ADAPTOR WITH OFFSET BASE FOR VEHICLEBEVERAGE RECEPTACLES” both disclose adapters with enlarged upperdiameters and smaller, lower diameters for use in cylindrical vehiclebeverage receptacles.

[0012] Other adapters include U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,088, issued to V. deAngeli, entitled “ADAPTER FOR RECEIVING RECTANGULAR BEVERAGECONTAINERS”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,062, issued to Siegel, entitled“SQUARE/ROUND BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECEPTACLE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE CUPHOLDERS” none of which meet the needs of the present invention.

[0013] As can be appreciated, there is a continuing need for a unitarybeverage insulating jacket which has an end contoured for directplacement into a conventional beverage or cup holder.

[0014] As will be seen more fully below, the present invention issubstantially different in structure, methodology and approach from thatof the prior adapters for use with beverage insulating jackets.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0015] The preferred embodiment of the unitary beverage insulatingjacket of the present invention solves the aforementioned problems in astraight forward and simple manner.

[0016] Broadly, what is provided is a beverage insulating jacketcomprising a unitary and homogenous insulating structure having a topportion and a lower portion made of an insulating material. The topportion has formed therein a bore forming an insulating receptacledimensioned to receive therein a beverage container. The lower portionhas a height and a perimeter circumference dimensioned for insertiondirectly into a beverage or cup holding receptacle.

[0017] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is toprovide beverage insulating jacket having a lower portion which is solidand has a tapering perimeter wall having a top end and a bottom endwherein the top end has a larger circumference than the bottom end.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverageinsulating jacket having a top portion which includes a top sectionhaving a perimeter wall which has a constant circumference and a bottomsection having a tapering perimeter wall.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is to provide abeverage insulating jacket having a central bore which is dimensioned tosupport therein a 12-ounce beverage can, a bottle, or a paper cup.

[0020] A still further object of the present invention is to provide abeverage insulating jacket which is made of a lightweight, foamedmaterial such as Styrofoam. polyethylene foamed plastic or a foamrubber.

[0021] The present invention further contemplates a beverage insulatingjacket comprising a top insulating receptacle having a centralcylindrical bore dimensioned to receive therein a beverage container;and a lower portion unitarily and integrally formed with the topinsulating receptacle having a height and a perimeter circumferencedimensioned for direct insertion into a beverage holding receptacle.

[0022] In view of the above, a feature of the present invention is toprovide a unitary beverage insulating jacket which is easy to use.

[0023] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a unitarybeverage insulating jacket which is relatively simple structurally andthus simple to manufacture.

[0024] A still further feature of the present invention is to provide aunitary beverage insulating jacket which eliminates the need foradaptors while providing insulating capabilities for keeping a coldbeverage colder longer or a hot beverage hot longer.

[0025] The above and other objects and features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the drawings, the description given herein,and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0026] For a further understanding of the nature and objects of thepresent invention, reference should be had to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like partsare given like reference numerals and, wherein:

[0027]FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of the unitary beverageinsulating jacket in line with a beverage container or can and a cupholder;

[0028]FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the unitary beverageinsulating jacket of the present invention with the beverage containerinserted;

[0029]FIG. 3 illustrates a partial view of the unitary beverageinsulating jacket with advertising incorporated therewith;

[0030]FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the unitary beverage insulatingjacket;

[0031]FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the unitary beverageinsulating jacket; and

[0032]FIG. 6 illustrates a side view unitary beverage insulating jacket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0033] Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1-5, theinsulating jacket of the present invention of the present invention isgenerally referenced by the numeral 10. The unitary beverage insulatingjacket 10 of the present invention is best shown in FIG. 2 and functionsto (1) insulate a beverage container or can 5 so that the beverageremains colder longer; and (2) directly fit into or be directlysupported in a vehicle's beverage holding receptacle 7 or other beverageholder, such as found in chairs.

[0034] The unitary beverage insulating jacket 10 comprises, in general,a unitary and homogeneous insulating body or structure 20 having a topportion 30 and a lower portion 40 made of an insulating material. Theinsulating material is made of a lightweight, foamed material such asStyrofoam, polyethylene foamed plastic or other lightweight foamedrubber.

[0035] The top portion 30 has formed therein a cylindrical bore 32forming an insulating receptacle dimensioned to receive therein abeverage container or can 5. For example, the cylindrical bore 32 isdimensioned to support therein a 12-ounce beverage can 5, a bottle, or apaper cup. The top portion 30 comprises a top section 36 having aperimeter wall 37 which has a constant circumference the length thereofand a bottom section 38 having a slightly tapering perimeter wall 39.

[0036] The lower portion 40 has a height H and a perimeter circumferencedimensioned for insertion into a beverage holding receptacle 7, as bestseen in FIG. 1. As best seen in FIG. 5, the lower portion 40 is solidand has a tapering outer perimeter wall 42 having a top end 44 and abottom end 45 wherein the top end 44 has a larger circumference than thebottom end 45. In the exemplary embodiment, the lower portion 40 beginssubstantially at the end of the cylindrical bore 32. As can beappreciated, maintaining a certain thickness of the insulating materialaround the cylindrical bore 32 assists in insulating the beveragecontainer or can 5.

[0037] In the preferred embodiment, the height H of the lower portion 30is at least a depth of the beverage holding receptacle 7.

[0038] In operation, the user places the beverage container or can 5 ofa cold beverage in bore 32 or insulating receptacle of the top portion30 of the jacket 10. When not drinking, the user places lower portion 40into the conventional beverage holding receptacle 7 which is mounted inthe vehicle in which he is driving or riding or mounted in a chair.Jacket 10, therefore, allows the user to enjoy a cold beverage with thebeverage remaining colder longer when in a moving vehicle or sitting ina chair and allows the user's hands to be freed-up by placing the jacket10 in the beverage holding receptacle 7 when not drinking.

[0039] The unitary insulating jacket 10 may also be used with hotbeverages such as those sold in paper cups, etc.

[0040] Because many varying and differing embodiments may be made withinthe scope of the inventive concept herein taught and because manymodifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed inaccordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to beunderstood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense:

What is claimed as invention is:
 1. A beverage insulating jacketcomprising: a unitary and homogenous insulating structure having a topportion and a lower portion made of an insulating material, said topportion has formed therein a bore forming an insulating receptacledimensioned to receive therein a beverage container and said lowerportion has a height and a perimeter circumference dimensioned forinsertion directly into a beverage or cup holding receptacle.
 2. Thejacket of claim 1, wherein said lower portion is solid and has atapering perimeter wall having a top end and a bottom end wherein thetop end has a larger circumference than said bottom end.
 3. The jacketof claim 2, wherein the top portion comprises: a top section having aperimeter wall, which has a constant circumference; and, a bottomsection having a tapering perimeter wall.
 4. The jacket of claim 3,wherein said height of said lower portion is at least a depth of saidbeverage or cup holding receptacle; and, said lower portion begins at anend of said bore.
 5. The jacket of claim 1, wherein the bore isdimensioned to support therein a 12-ounce beverage can, a bottle, or apaper cup.
 6. The jacket of claim 1, wherein said insulating material ismade of a lightweight, foamed material.
 7. The jacket of claim 6,wherein said lightweight, foamed material is Styrofoam.
 8. The jacket ofclaim 6, wherein said lightweight, foamed material comprisespolyethylene foamed plastic.
 9. A beverage insulating jacket comprising:a top insulating receptacle having a central cylindrical boredimensioned to receive therein a beverage container; and, a lowerportion unitarily and integrally formed with said top insulatingreceptacle having a height and a perimeter circumference dimensioned fordirect insertion into a beverage holding receptacle.
 10. The jacket ofclaim 9, wherein said lower portion is solid and has a taperingperimeter wall having a top end and a bottom end wherein the top end hasa larger circumference than said bottom end.
 11. The jacket of claim 10,wherein the top insulating receptacle comprises: a top section having aperimeter wall which has a constant circumference; and, a bottom sectionhaving a tapering perimeter wall wherein the smallest outer perimetercircumference of said top insulating receptacle is larger than thelargest outer perimeter circumference of said lower portion.
 12. Thejacket of claim 9, wherein said height of said lower portion is at leasta depth of said beverage holding receptacle.
 13. The jacket of claim 9,wherein the cylindrical bore is dimensioned to support therein a12-ounce beverage can, a bottle, or a paper cup.
 14. The jacket of claim9, wherein said insulating material is made of a lightweight, foamedmaterial.
 15. The jacket of claim 14, wherein said lightweight, foamedmaterial is Styrofoam.
 16. The jacket of claim 14, wherein saidlightweight, foamed material comprises polyethylene foamed plastic. 17.A beverage insulating jacket comprising: means for insulating a beveragecontainer; and, means, unitarily and integrally formed with and belowsaid insulating means, for securing said insulating means directly in abeverage holding receptacle wherein said insulating means and saidsecuring means are made of a homogenous insulating material which is alightweight, foamed material.
 18. The jacket of claim 17, wherein saidsecuring means is solid and has a tapering perimeter wall having a topend and a bottom end wherein the top end has a larger circumference thansaid bottom end.
 19. The jacket of claim 18, wherein the insulatingmeans comprises: a top section having a perimeter wall which has aconstant circumference; and, a bottom section having a taperingperimeter wall wherein the smallest outer perimeter circumference ofsaid insulating means is larger than the largest outer perimetercircumference of said securing means.
 20. The jacket of claim 19,wherein said lightweight, foamed material is Styrofoam or polyethylenefoamed plastic.